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 Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 5:32 pm
 It wasn't hard finding her way through the outskirts of her past pride; it seemed like just the other day when she was stepping out after the slaughter of the royal siblings of her aunt. It had been many days since then, but she had the place mapped out as if it was on the back of her paw.
It was especially easy when you had an accomplice who noted the little changes, the different patrolling lions, and the many other things that marked whether an area was safe to stroll in at whatever time. And though the lands had tightened security over the past few weeks, the dark lioness herself took caution when treading near the heart of the Mizimu'Tungika--nothing a careful claw, clever mind, or useful vision couldn't solve. It was at this very spot that the cousins came to rendezvous, one coming like the darkness that began to settle in on the land. Ever since the Ascension, it became very routine; a mutual trade for knowledge from outside and inside proved to be very beneficial, especially in these recent times. Either one would have been hard-pressed to deny that it didn't create some sort of stronger bond between the two--especially the red-marked cousin, who found it exceptionally hard to favor others aside from herself. The skull hanging from her neck swung ominously and slowly from its place as if its hollowed head knew well the plans its holder had in store for the fate of two groups. A bare whisper of wind blew past the black female, carrying the scent of no other behind her. It was the perfect level of darkened sky and barren patch of land. Paws suddenly stopped still from their walk, shifting very slightly in hidden anticipation of the meeting that would be just a little... different than the previous ones.
"Kizuka'ruya," the dark lioness voiced sweetly--almost too mellow for her grim visage.
She stood firm in her place, the small tug of a smile pulling at her, knowing that she was not alone here, in both body and mind.
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Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 6:27 pm
Indeed, it was a good night for such a meeting. Even her vivid markings were muted in the darkness, and she'd slipped past the patrols with the ease of long practice. She'd been playing this dangerous game for a long time...ever since her mother had spilled her entrails for their new Queen. Kizuka snarled silently at the thought. Her blood was just as royal as their half-sighted monarch, and yet she remained a simple Scryer while Jini lorded over the entire pride. And now there was a litter of brats to carry on her line. Literal brats, from what she heard of some of them. No surprise there...
As her cousin's voice cut through her thoughts, Kizuka'ruya rose from the brambles where she'd tucked herself in to wait. It was a dark night suited for clandestine activities, but she hadn't made it this far by being anything but cautious. "Malaika."
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Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 6:56 pm
The smile finally completed itself as the dark lioness heard the sound of her name slip into the air. She sighted another pair of orange eyes much like her own and made her way towards her present companion, making a point to take her time so that no urgency filled the air, even though things could soon rush into it.
"So," Malaika took her sweet time in greeting the cousin, "How has it been since our last? Still passing out your scryer duties to the best of your abilities?"
And if the other had known better, it would only have been all too obvious that Malaika had never beaten around the bush, if ever, lest she held knowledge she strictly prohibited herself from telling another... until it presented itself useful to do so, at least. As the darker cousin closed the gap between the two, she sat down and laughed to herself, making sure that it was soft enough to not ring out in the distance.
"You know, the Dhati have been doing well because of you. My visions only tell so much, and the scouts can only get so far in. It is good that our blood ties make it easier to gain trust under that fool Jini. And it was wise of you to stay in the pride after our mothers were too foolish to commit to their deaths."
She needed to start slowly, hoping it wasn't that apparent that she was trying to eventually milk her way into something. Though Malaika needed to still leave some form of a hint that a request would be made, one way or another, by the end of the night. It was just a matter of finding the right timing and words, which she thought she had nailed down. Deception wouldn't be something she wanted or needed to put into practice tonight, but she knew, from her visions, that something had to happen... and Kizuka's participation was a key factor. Malaika was well aware that Kizuka was capable of many things--one of them being acknowledged as a faithful follower of the Mizimu ways--she would be adequate in performing just one little task.
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Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 7:38 pm
Kizuka narrowed her eyes, but remained silent as Malaika spoke. She knew she was an asset to the Dhati...it was the reason she'd chosen to ally herself with them. No matter how much she despised Jini, no matter how much she hungered for the power that was her birthright, she wouldn't risk her hide for anything less than something that played into her favor. "And the Dhati have succeeded in troubling the spirits, or so the rumors are. They blame the refusal of the spirits to speak on the dissenters, rather than anything they themselves might be doing." A slow, wicked grin crept onto her face. "I do agree with one. They say the spirits want blood." Oh yes, she was inclined to agree with that one. She simply thought it would be the blood of those that believed they saw the spirits' will so clearly. "But you flatter me, when you know you could do what I do, had you not left. What is it?"
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Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 8:12 pm
"Ah, I can see it already," she drawled out amused, "The first to go would be that stupid, naive Pure that replaced Ufahami... or rather, she'd be the first to go in full view of the Mizimu. No doubt Jini would want her offspring to go through growth spurts to offer another potent edge. But speaking of blood and royal cubs..."
Malaika lifted her head up, taking her time in her response.
"You know, I will get to that later. No need to rush into things now, Kizuka," she offered a chuckle when her cousin inquired her, knowing that she registered that something was up, "It'll come in due time. We have this whole night, if we wanted. And well, had I not left, would we have the Dhati backing our wishes? You are the only one from I can trust in the pride; not even my devil of a brother can be counted on."
She then stretched on the ground next to Kizuka, settling down into a relaxed position. A paw came onto her cousin's shoulder, motioning for her to follow suit. It would be best if the both of them felt at ease, with no high pressure for anything.
"The old Pure and Second hang onto my every word. It would have been detrimental if I had stayed, for after my brother left, there could have been just a little more suspicion placed on me, and just a little could do away much things that work to our cause. What I am saying, Kizuka, is that you are very important. More important than what the Mizimu values you, I agree as well as I know you do."
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Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:16 pm
"Should be an interesting day for the Vates," Kizuka murmured, smirking. "To sacrifice her himself, after taking her for a mate? One has to wonder if that wouldn't put a few cracks in our dear uncle." Sarcasm was heavy in her words, for she held little love for the Vates. Dismissing the thought, she stretched out next to Malaika. It was pleasant to hear someone acknowledge her potential, and although she knew she should be on guard, she found herself preening slightly. "The queen is blind in more ways than one. She consulted me not long ago for a reading, even."
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Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:40 pm
A slow, solemn shake of the head indicated Malaika's vague disagreement. Would the Vates be affected? It was an interesting prospect, but she remembered his deadly strikes well when he performed on her mother. He held no hesitance nor regret in his eyes, and so it was hard for her to imagine that the beast held any grain of remorse or feeling in his blindly following soul.
"So he was taken a mate in the Pure, finally? I've seen from my visions that he had been bordering on obsession over her, but... I see. I am confident he will go through it, as he has gone through others, with no trouble. It will just be another useless pile of fur being thrown away for good. It is sad, really." Too bad Malaika never felt anything more than a small awareness of that emotion.
"And oh?" she asked, curiosity rising in her, "Anything specific? What did you tell the queen?"
Malaika raised a brow, hoping that Kizuka was smart enough to have not given away anything she had told her about the Dhati to her queen. To her recollection, there wasn't anything really important that could have been passed along to the officials of the Mizimu. She had a sneaking suspicion that some in the Dhati couldn't be fully relied upon, but even then, not much were given detailed information from the Dhati's leaders. But if the Mizimu knew something they should not, war would only break too soon, and she knew it wasn't time yet; at least, she needed some time to take some measures to make sure the Dhati would prevail.
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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 11:03 pm
Kizuka's smile was tight and mirthless. "The spirits refused to speak that day, and I told her as much. She said...hmm...she said," She paused here, digging her claws into the ground, "That she had no use for a deaf Scryer. I do believe that intruder unsettled her...the Dhati's doing, I assume?" Raising a brow, she glanced over at Malaika. "They were looking for that intruder for days. Amusing, really--our dear Warleader defending his Queen's honor."
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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 11:33 pm
Looking away in mild impatience for the cousin's reply, Malaika lazily flicked a claw over her own bracelet of bones, making each individual clack against its sibling in a row. It was a little amusing, hearing Kizuka speak of the spirits as if she actually Saw in a different way than Malaika herself. Being born of a god and conceived with a mystical power as a birthright made her more grounded to reality, and it was hard to digest that those who were not given the same birthright believed that they were equipped with a similar ability. But it wasn't her place to attest, and so Malaika let it pass as she listened to the answer that Kizuka finally gave.
Upon hearing of the intruder, however, her attention was immediately captured as puzzled ears twitched. Malaika's mind rewound itself, thinking back to whether the King or Queen of the Dhati had ordered any soldier to venture into the Mizimu on their lonesome to perhaps cause a preemptive ruckus. Aside from the scouts, who were strictly commanded to slip in discreetly and quietly without turning heads, there was no intruder as of yet in the Dhati's plans. A frown came on her face, and instead of being amused, Malaika was bordering on feeling flustered.
"No... We did not send an intruder to make things unsettling on your side... It was not a mere leopard or something, I presume by the way you say the Mizimu responded?" She paused; it most definitely couldn't have been one of their scouts, or else they would have reported back being spotted or running into some trouble.
If the Mizimu was on high alert from such an intrusion, things could be more difficult. Malaika could only pray that the plan she had in mind wouldn't be jeopardized by a troublesome stranger of no affiliation to the Dhati at all.
"How long ago was it?" she inquired quickly, hoping for a good answer, "I do hope... it does not mean that the security around the Mizimu is impossible to penetrate? How protective have the lot been? And that of... the royal cubs?"
As Malaika ended her questioning, she kept her eyes locked onto Kizuka's own, bringing in an air of importance.
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 1:00 am
Kizuka shook her head, frowning. "A dark lioness, from what I heard. Of course, that could be any one of a dozen Mizimu members, so she's as good as safe if she doesn't run into someone that knows better." Amused by this, she lazily dragged a claw through the dirt, watching the way the soil moved aside for the sharp appendage. "They watch the cubs as closely as they can...but Jinichongo has spawned a rebellious brood. The brats slip away from their Minder every chance they get, so half the time they're not even watched until they're found again." Ah, cubs. Even in dangerous times, they were still as naive and stupid as ever.
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 1:22 am
"Hmm."
It was a dangerous pondering that brew within Malaika's mind; supplied with her fancy whim, it was even more so. If she calculated things correctly, it wouldn't matter as much if the Mizimu was on their guard. It was perfect... They didn't even know what to expect; the time was ripe now, to throw in a wild card. And Kizuka was the paw in the door to open it.
"Kizuka!" Malaika said, excitement starting to raise in her voice as she put her own paw forth atop her cousin's, "That is very good news. If Jinichongo's cubs have even half of their parents' minds, they'll be too foolish to know what was happening..."
She paused, keeping a very observant eye on Kizuka, "...Even if they were the ones that the 'happening' happened to. Kizuka, if we are to claim what is our future, it is now. Listen to me. I have Seen you carry out this mission successfully. My cousin, I have something for you to do, after all the time you have waited, sitting in the Mizimu like no better than a simple follower. You are open to having higher recognition, are you not? You will be greatly known, and rewarded by the Dhati when the time comes..."
Malaika left her words hanging, awaiting a response, still keeping a trained eye on her cousin to look for signs of whether she would agree or not.
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 1:34 am
Kizuka froze, mind racing at the impact of Malaika's words. What her cousin asked was risky, extremely so...while unconcerned at being denied an 'honorable' death by Sacrifice, the prospect of being outright killed was a distressing one. But if Malaika had Seen it...her cousin had a particularly strong connection to the spirits, and if she Saw something it was not likely to be wrong. Success would indeed mean she was meant for more than living out her life as a Scryer, and that was what decided her. "Have you Seen how it will be done?"
She had a few ideas, but it was always best to work with a full deck.
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 1:54 am
A sly smile came to Malaika's face as she watched Kizuka go through what she was leading to in her head. The moments when the two cousins were on the same train of thought were likable to Malaika; she didn't have to detail an explanation when instances like this occurred. Kizuka was a very intelligent lioness in these ways, but Malaika wouldn't expect anything less from one she deemed as her collaborator.
But she didn't expect the question that followed.
Malaika withdrew her paw from Kizuka's and looked to the side, hastily choosing over what to answer with; it wasn't that she outright meant to falsely encourage the cousin, but... she didn't exactly foresee Kizuka's death, either, so long as the plan was put to action, everything would have eventually worked out for itself.
"No," she admitted, but immediately continued, "But the parts after. A cub or more is definitely taken from right under the Mizimu's noses, and it seemed like it was an easily attainable goal, too. I couldn't tell which ones--they're all black to me. If you are to capture them, we have a place for them in the Dhati, and should you be confident that you won't hold the scent of the deed on your fur, you could even remain in the Mizimu after the cubs are out of your paws."
Malaika nodded in assurance at Kizuka, thinking what she said was sufficient enough, "You're quite crafty yourself, I know you'll figure out how to do it. Consult with the spirits if you wish! As long as the royal cubs are anywhere but safe, sound, or with their parents or minder--as many as you can, too."
"...And it's okay to leave a scratch on them if you have to," she ended with a smirk.
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 2:48 am
"Of course..." Kizuka grinned wickedly, eyes gleaming faintly in the darkness. This was just what was needed to show the Queen that she was not invincible, that she wasn't the sole voice of the spirits. After all, you'd think that the spirits would warn her of such an important thing as the capture of her own cub! But Malaika saw success...which meant that Jinichongo would not be warned, or even if she was...she wouldn't be able to do a damn thing about it. Stretching lazily, she rose to her feet. "I should make preparations. It's a large litter...a lot of brats to choose between." Glancing over at her cousin, she smirked before turning to pad quietly back to the Mizimu.
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 4:17 am
Eyes closed in contentment, Malaika being very pleased with herself and the success of convincing Kizuka to cast an unfortunate act on Jinichongo's cubs, and thus, the royal line. It had been an easier persuasion than she thought, but she should have known how much Kizuka thirsted for high acknowledgment from the Mizimu--enough to do something as drastic as this. Perhaps she had been growing weary and sick of waiting.
But waiting was now all Malaika had to do.
"I will see you when it is done. Ah, if only I can take part in the actual scene... No matter, I'll be a distant observer regardless. Well wishes to us, Kizuka'ruya," her words called out as her cousin rose to leave the area.
And as the last shifting movement in the darkness left Malaika's sight, she reveled in the satisfaction of a job well done in starting the chain of what would play a very integral part in the nearing war. She, too, got on her legs and began walking the opposite direction, whispering to the avian skull that hung from her neck, "It has started."
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